New Mexico

Published 6:00 pm, Sunday, February 3, 2008

A coalition of groups, led by the Rio Grande chapter of the Sierra Club, has come up with a unique idea for getting the state's young people to turn off the TV and get outside.

By Midland Reporter-Telegram

A coalition of groups, led by the Rio Grande chapter of the Sierra Club, has come up with a unique idea for getting the state's young people to turn off the TV and get outside. And if they have their way, New Mexicans will foot the bill.

The group wants New Mexico lawmakers to place a tax on televisions and video games sold in the state. Then they will ask the legislature to create a "No Child Left Inside Fund" with a 1 percent tax on TVs, video games and video game equipment. The fund would help pay for outdoor education throughout the state.

Legislative analysts have said the tax would generate about $4 million a year. New Mexico State Parks already offer outdoor programs, but the funding is just a fraction of what the tax would bring in.

Naturally, there has been firm opposition from the state's retailers, who fear they will not be able to compete in the marketplace for these popular items since they compete with online stores and retailers that offer downloadable games.

Supporters argue that just as health programs often are supported by excise taxes on cigarettes or alcohol, an excise tax on games and TVs would provide a steady source of cash for outdoor education.

Also, they feel it's a fair tax because it will be funded solely through a tax on the very activities that are divorcing kids from nature, which promote more sedentary lifestyles.

This is certainly an intriguing debate, one that bears watching. We doubt such a tax will fly past the New Mexico lawmakers. And we have our own doubts about such a proposal.

We are all for finding and funding workable ways to fight against obesity in regard to our young people, but we would like our conclusions and research to reflect scientific conclusions. We are not at all sure TVs and video games are totally responsible for the state's low test scores and increasing rate of childhood obesity. That might be a contributing factor, but it's not the whole answer.

It also concerns us that such a tax, if passed, would lead to other tax invasions on other items. It could become a never-ending spiral, leading to funding of every little project you could think of.

New Mexico might want to fund an outdoor education program, but it would be wise to do it without this kind of tax.